For multi-location restaurant operators, accepting EBT can open the door to significant new revenue and customer access—when implemented with the right safeguards in place. One Wendy’s franchise group in California, Cotti Foods, learned this firsthand after early fraud incidents with a previous provider revealed the risks of inadequate safeguards. After transitioning to goEBT, the organization saw immediate improvements in fraud protection, operational efficiency, and overall confidence. Their experience offers a valuable lesson for franchise groups looking to scale EBT acceptance the right way.

Most merchants set up EBT processing, check the box, and move on. Getting authorized, selecting a terminal, and training staff is already a lot of work. Once it is done, most store owners never go back to look at what they are paying in EBT processing fees month to month. That is where processors quietly profit. EBT processing fees are often buried inside a broader statement, making them easy to overlook, even when the charges are higher than they should be. With SNAP participation at record levels and more transactions running through EBT than ever, the cost of overpaying adds up faster than most merchants realize.